The Netherlands is the main "constituent country" of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a small, densely populated country located in Western Europe with three island territories in the Caribbean.  Amsterdam is the country's capital, while The Hague holds the Dutch seat of government and parliament. The port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe – as large as the next three largest combined – and was the world's largest port between 1962 and 2004.

The country is a founding member of the EU, Eurozone, G-10, NATO, OECD and WTO, and a part of the trilateral Benelux Union. It has a market-based mixed economy, ranking 17th of 177 countries according to the Index of Economic Freedom. It has a developed economy and has been playing a special role in the European economy for many centuries. Since the 16th century, shipping, fishing, agriculture, trade, and banking have been leading sectors of the Dutch economy. The country has a high level of economic freedom. It is one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the five largest investors in the United States.